Beauty and the Beast
by forginsberg
Summary: Ron and Tonks are both left dead in the aftermath of the Great War. Two years later, both Hermione and Lupin find themselves again within the walls of Hogwarts. Both are greiving, looking for some form of comfort. Might they find it in each other?
1. Everybody Hurts

From the author: This story is set two years after the war has ended. Remus Lupin did not die during the final battle, and is now a grieving widower, once again teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Hermione has accepted the Transfiguration job, as Professor McGonagall is now the headmistress.

I have never written a Harry Potter fan-fiction before, or least never finished one and posted it. And Hermione has never been a main character, as I prefer to dwell more in the Marauder era, so this is really my first attempt writing her.

Remus Lupin, however, is just behind Sirius Black as my favorite character in the entire series. I always delight in getting to explore him, extend him and bring him more into the limelight, as I'm afraid he never got enough recognition in the original books.

Little Teddy will appear in later chapters. He's staying with his grandmother Andromeda while Remus is teaching.

I do not own the series, or any of the characters, as I'm sure you all are entirely aware.

Remus Lupin's eyes swept wearily over the familiar office. He sat behind his large oak desk, slumping slightly in his chair. Running pale, long fingers through his coarse hair, he sighed heavily. He felt as though he had come home from a very long journey to a place that could never again quite be how he'd always remembered it. There was something different in the air at Hogwarts, a slightly somber tone. So many had lost those they loved in the Great War—he closed his eyes painfully. He knew all too well. Standing, he walked to the large windows on the opposite wall and swept the curtains aside, staring down onto the grounds. He could almost see them as he'd seen them that night, the cries and flashes of light in the dark.

"Where is Nymphadora?" he shouted as Kingsley darted past him in pursuit of a hulking Death Eater unidentifiable in the darkness.

"She's fighting inside the castle," Kingsley had answered, calling over his shoulder before he was out of earshot. "She's a big girl, she can take care of herself, Remus."

Turning on his heel, he had shoved his way past bodies friend or foe, he didn't stop to check. He tore across the grounds, something frantic leaping in his chest.

He was startled from his reverie by a timid knocking at his door.

"Yes?" he called and Hermione appeared in the doorway, smiling brightly at him. He willed the corners of his mouth to turn up tightly in a small smile that did not quite reach his eyes. "Professor Granger," he said in what he hoped was a cheerful voice. "All settled in?"

"I've only just managed to get my trunk unpacked and all my lesson plans together for tomorrow." He gestured to the set of chairs near the window and she sank gratefully into one, while he poured two glasses of elf-made wine and handed one to her. She swirled the crimson drink in the glass before sipping at it.

"It's okay to be nervous," he said quietly, watching her. She looked up quickly, as though to deny it, and then ran a hand over her thick curls.

"I have no idea what I'm doing," she admitted. "I've seen it all done; I've witnessed every teaching method you might imagine. I've spent more than half my life in a classroom but I've never been the one…" she faltered, gazing out the window.

"I felt similar when I first came to Hogwarts to teach," he said, lifting his glass to his lips and tasting the sweetness against his tongue. "Everyone's scared their first time. You just have to go in there and act like you know what you're doing, and pray no one figures out you're clueless." She laughed quietly and leaned more comfortably back in her chair, crossing her legs at the knee.

"How is Harry?" he asked and she smiled into her glass.

"He's quite well, you know, madly in love, happily married."

"I hear he's working for the Ministry as an auror."

She sighed. "Well, he's thinking about it. Of course, it's a difficult thing to consider, knowing what we know about the way things are run there. But Professor McGonagall seems to think they've changed their tune."

"There will always be traces of darkness and corruption in politics," he stated, setting his nearly empty wine glass on the table between them. "I think all we can do now is get as many of the good guys in there as we can and try to maintain control over the situation."  
"Yes, Professor McGonagall said the same. The world is in a vulnerable place these days; with Voldemort gone there's the room for a new power of evil to move in, but there's also a chance for us all to live in harmony." Lupin nodded.

"How's Teddy?" asked Hermione with a smile, changing the heavy subject before it brought them both down. The first genuine smile she'd seen from him in some time crossed his face as he thought about his son.

"He's staying with Andromeda over the school year. He was rather upset with me for leaving him there. He loves his grandmother, of course, but I'm afraid he's beginning to show signs of separation anxiety." A frown creased Lupin's forehead and Hermione reached out to place a comforting hand on his knee. He sighed. "Sometimes I think he remembers her, but others I'm not so sure…"

He couldn't stop the words from spilling out. He'd been holding in so much grief and pain and worry. As Hermione gazed at him with those sad, brown eyes he heard himself talking about Nymphadora more than he had since her death.

"She used to sing him this lullaby," he said in a hoarse voice. "And I still sing it to him some nights, when he won't go to sleep. It always calms him down." There was tightness in his throat. "He's so like her—his hair color changes with his mood. I haven't figured out whether or not he has control of it yet. I suspect he does."

"He's going to be a very smart wizard," said Hermione. Lupin laid his hand over hers and closed his eyes briefly.

"I'm sorry to be burdening you with my own trials, Hermione," he apologized quietly and she watched him.

"You are not burdening me. We've all been worried about you for some time. There are things you need to talk about, and you've been so reserved."

Pulling himself together, he cleared his throat. He hated that they'd discussed him, worried over him, talked about what was best for him.

Standing he held his hand out for her glass.

"More wine?" he asked but she shook her head and he took both goblets, casting a cleaning charm before putting them away.

"I have to get ready for tomorrow," he said and she nodded, standing quickly.

"Oh, certainly," she said, but her eyes still searched his. "I'll see you at dinner then


	2. Sleep Well

_From the author: I deeply apologize for the length of time between updates._

_Here is your second chapter. It was difficult to write, as I've never written from Hermione's perspective before and crafting a big chunk of a chapter with only her to work with was rather difficult, but it seemed necessary._

Hermione sat alone in her office, flipping through one of many large and ancient books she had perused recently on the subject of Transfiguration. Though she fought to focus, the hour was late and her mind was prone to wander. Leaning back in her chair, she waved her wand over her empty teacup and it again filled with steaming Earl Gray. Leaving it to cool, she gazed out the window closest to her, which directly observed the lake. Stars reflected on its surface, winking as the water rippled from the movement of any number of interesting creatures lurking in its depths.

Following in the steps of Minerva McGonagall was a daunting prospect, Hermione mused as she sipped her tea. She was not sure how she could possibly be expected to life up to Professor McGonagall's genius. Teaching had not been a career she had ever seriously considered, although she had often been told she would suceed brilliantly if she chose that path. When she recieved the owl from the newly appointed headmistress, she had promptly declined the appointment. However, after visiting the castle to meet with McGonagall, discussing the aspects of the job, she'd begun to feel a strange pull towards the school she had not even felt while attending there.

In the wake of the Great War, so many young witches and wizards were left without guidance, launched into a world that was piecing itself back together. Some were without parents, some had lost friends. She understood their pain, their suffering--she had experienced more than enough of it herself.

The image of Ron's laughing face flashed across her mind breifly and her heart lurched before she pushed the vision firmly away. He was gone, and she had to carry on.

So she'd come to teach. She would help how she could, do her part to make Hogwarts a home to those who had lost their own.

Her stomach was crawling at the thought of her first class, early the next morning. She felt bewildered and nervous, but thankful that she'd be able to cut her teeth on first-year Ravenclaws. She was trying very hard not to think about being face with a class full of Slytherins--it made her feel somewhat hysterical.

Closing her book and draining her tea, she stood and blew out the few candles lighting her desk before making her way to her bedchamber. An oil lamp had been lit and placed on her nightstand, and her bedclothes had been turned down. She brooded breifly over house-elf enslavement as she changed into her nightgown, making sure to clean up after herself. She knew she couldn't change the world, but she could at least make as little work for them as possible.

Smiling to herself as she slid into bed, she thought that perhaps if she stayed at Hogwarts she'd re-establish S.P.E.W. Perhaps using her influence as a teacher she could get some real progress made.

Laughing quietly at the mental image of herself leading an army of house-elves to liberation, she doused the lamp and slipped into an untroubled sleep.

_Meanwhile..._

Remus Lupin was not as lucky. He lay awake in the dark stillness of his bedroom, the only light that of the haunting moon filtering in through his window. He could not say for sure what unsettled him, but he felt almost as though he was suffocating beneath the weight of something he could not bear to acknowledge.

It was drawing close to another full moon and he felt as though there was a fever in his skin. His transformations had become much more painful since his wife's death; it was as if he could no longer excersize even the slightest control over the beast within him. The pain was too great. The cruelty the world had shown him, all the loss he had suffered...

He pushed these bitter thoughts aside, knowing quite well that dwelling on misfortune did nothing to improve things. He'd survived each of his childhood friends, his parents, and his beautiful wife, but his son lived on and for that, at least, he was infinitely grateful.

Rolling onto his side and adjusting the pillow beneath his head, he thought of Teddy and found a quiet peace, an escape. Picturing his son's bright, shining eyes, his playful smile, Remus finally drifted into painless dreams.

_Sorry it's a bit short._

_Term starts next chapter, I expect it to be much longer than this._


End file.
